THE GENERATIVE APPARATUS 383 



onflow of milk also occurs in cases in which the child has never been put to 

 the breast. On the other hand (apart from such cases as the case of Foges 

 cited above) the act of suckling or of drawing off the milk is requisite for 

 the continuance of the milk-secretion. From a series of clinical observa- 

 tions Halban draws the conclusion that the onflow of milk always coincides 

 with the removal or the death of the placenta. Again, the extirpation of the 

 ovaries at a time other than during pregnancy may increase the existing 

 secretion of milk, while, as is known, the occurrence of menstruation during 

 lactation inhibits the secretion of milk, and indeed in the premenstrual 

 period, and also that amount of its solid constituents, especially the casein, 

 the fat, and the salts, are diminished (N. Davis). Indeed even at the be- 

 ginning of the climacteric there may exist for a time with the introduction of 

 the ovarian function painful swelling of the breasts and excretion of milk. 

 Halban reports such a case. Halban therefore concludes that the ovary is 

 growth-inducing and secretion-inhibitory on the mammary glands, just as 

 is the placenta, only less so. 



Finally there remains to be mentioned the pregnancy reactions of the 

 fetus described by Halban. The uteri of new-born girls regularly show 

 considerable hyperemia and histological alterations of the mucous mem- 

 brane that bear great similarity to those of menstruation. There may even 

 occur genital hemorrhage, that have nothing to do with menstruatio praecox, 

 as the latter usually set in much later, at a time that ovaries have shown signs 

 of maturity. The uterus of the new-born girls shows almost always a slight 

 involution that is usually completed three weeks postpartum. Moreover, 

 the mammary glands of new-born girls and boys show signs of epithelial 

 proliferation, indeed, even the secretion of colostrum (witch's milk) . Fur- 

 ther, the blood shows a slight grade of hyperleucocytosis and increased 

 coagulability. Finally the prostate of the new-born boy shows a slight 

 hyperplasia, which is then affected by involution. Halban correctly brings 

 all these manifestations in analogy with the pregnancy-reactions and ascribes 

 them to the hormonopoietic function of the chorionic epithelium. 



After labor, as is known, there occurs in the mother a rapid retrogression 

 of all the profound alterations just described. The neutrophilic hyperleuco- 

 cytoses give place to a leucopenia with mononucleosis, the tachycardia 

 temporarily to a bradycardia. With the onset of the milk, numerous 

 eosinophilic cells make their appearance in the blood (Blumenthal) . Accord- 

 ing to Novak and Jetter there are found in the early puerperium different 

 irritative symptoms of the entire vegetative system; then the signs of an 

 increase in the functions of the ductless glandular system gradually vanish. 



Surveying now the alterations described, which take place in the organ- 

 ism of pregnant women, we find that they are entirely analogous to those 

 which occur in the premenstrual period, while those of the puerperium are 

 analogous to those of the menstrual period. As is known, labor takes place at 



